Until Now
by SarahRules17
Summary: Chelsea recently lost both her parents and now she must pay off their tremendous debt, which seems almost impossible. She gets a new job as a farmer on a dying island and refuses to take anyone's charity or pity. But as she learns, not everyone in the world is going to allow her to take on all this responsibility herself. The loss of her parents has turned her cold, until now. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Until now, the most traumatic thing that had happened to me was when I was five and I lost my favorite stuffed bunny. I remember crying for days, and that nothing could make me feel any better.

But now, I'm completely alone. Both my parents were just killed in a car accident with a drunk man. Their car resembled a pancake. The drunk driver and the passenger made it out without a scratch. It almost makes me laugh when comparing both these events, but it's strange how similar they feel. Five year old me treasured that bunny, and twenty year old me treasured my parents. I could never explain that to anyone; they wouldn't see the connection. I hardly understand it myself.

As if losing my parents weren't bad enough, all their debt is now on my shoulders and I am expected to pay it off, along with the funeral costs. And their debt was outrageous. I didn't know until now how much they were in for. And I couldn't help but feel guilty.

They did everything they could to make me happy. They never said no, and even though I didn't ask for much, the bills piled up.

I have to pay back over $200,000.

Everything was taken from me. My home was foreclosed. My car was repossessed. Most of my parents and my own belongings had to be sold. I had to quit college.

Here I am now, sitting on a park bench with only a backpack left, crying my eyes out, hopeless. The pressure in my chest that appeared when I heard my parents were dead only grew heavier as the days went on. I placed a hand on my chest, hoping to relieve some of the pain. The fact that they were gone was hard to accept. Impossible.

They day passed slowly as I sat in a daze. I couldn't seem to make myself get up and do something. People walked by, acting as if I weren't there, but I was used to that. In this town, no one was close with anyone. We all kept to ourselves and had our own problems. No one asked me about what happened or offered any help. Which I expected, but it would have been nice.

I want to run.

I want to get away from this place and its memories. I want to disappear so I don't have to pay any money back. I want to forget everything.

But I know that is not an option. I have to find a job.

I untied the red bandana around my head and held it in my hands. It was given to me by my grandmother who passed away many years ago. She told me it was the first gift my mom had even given to her, and she wanted me to have it to give to someone special someday.

I frowned down at it, pushing down the sudden, childish urge to throw it. As if I would ever have someone to give it to. I would probably have to sell it, just like everything else, in order to get on with my life. The feeling died quickly, replaced with a deep sadness.

I really was alone.

Sighing, I reached down and grabbed my backpack, hoisting it up on the bench next to me. I unzipped it and retrieved the crumpled up newspaper I had shoved in there last minute before leaving my old home. I smoothed it out as best as I could and scanned it for job openings.

Most of them were minimum wage, dead end jobs that I would probably be let go of as soon as the season ended or someone better came along. I felt my throat close up, but quickly swallowed it back. I did not want to become weak now; especially now. I did not need anyone's pity or charity. I was suddenly determined to do my best.

I would pay off my parent's debt and get them what they deserve. And I would do it myself, like was expected of me.

I flipped over the newspaper and came face to face with a cheesy looking ad for a position as a farmer open on an island a few hours from here. I recognized the name of the place: Island of Happiness. I scoffed at the name. I knew it was not a happy place. They have been in danger of starvation for a few years now. They lost most of their business once the old farmer died.

The ad sounded desperate.

And so was I.

I stood up, swung my bag over my shoulder and set off towards the docks.

**A/N: It's been awhile since I have written anything, so I figured I should get back to it. I'm done with my first year of college and the only I have planned for this summer is work, so I need other things to do. I had the urge to write, and what better to write about than my favorite HM characters? **

**Let me know what you think of this story so far, and what I can do it make it more enjoyable for you all! If you think it's trash from the start, tell me so I can save myself the embarrassment haha. **

**Please review! I'd appreciate the feedback. **


	2. Chapter 2

I stared out over the ocean, feeling the slight movements of the boat rocking. It was my first time on a boat. When I first got on a few hours ago I felt motion sick, but now I'm used to it and I actually kind of enjoy it. The air smelled salty and the wind tossed my hair around my face, no doubt tangling it up. My skin felt damp, but not in a bad way. If I breathed in facing the direction we were going, it was as if my breath was ripped away before I could take in it. I leaned over the railing, watching the blue water lap against the boat, and sighed.

I glanced around me, noticing that the boat was pretty empty. I learned from a crew member that most people don't go to Island of Happiness, they leave it. And since this was the last boat of the day it seemed even emptier.

I wondered for a moment if I was making the right decision. What if they didn't want me as their farmer? I knew they didn't have much else to lose, but realistically, being turned away was expected. I had no experience working on a farm or with any animals. The only pet I ever had was a goldfish, and I ended up killing it in two days. If I was rejected, I would be stuck. I spent the last of my money on the boat ticket.

I shook my head, trying to get rid of the thoughts. I would be fine. The island needed someone, and I was pretty sure no one else was jumping at the opportunity to take the job.

I heard a horn sound and the announcer declared that the first stop to Island of Happiness was coming up. I shifted my backpack on my shoulders and made my way towards the front of the boat where the exit would be. I couldn't help but noticed I was the only one to gather there. The crew member positioned there gave me a skeptical look.

"You sure you want to be gettin' off here, Miss?" He asked me.

I only nodded at him.

The boat slowed to a stop, and I took my first look at my new potential home.

And honestly, it looked pretty bad.

The first thing you see is a small beach with an old, run down shack on it. A dirt path trails off into the distance and I can see the tips of the buildings that reside there. The only thing else I can see are trees, which surround the ends of the beach and wrap around the island.

"Island of Happiness, Miss." The crew member tells me, as if I didn't know.

"Thanks." I told him. He nodded and I stepped off the boat and walked down the slope of the ramp. When I reached the dock, the boat sounded another horn and the ramp retreated, leaving me alone.

I stood there for a while, watching the boat disappear into the distance. Once I couldn't see it anymore, I started to feel a little panicked. There was no turning back now.

I turned around and faced the island, taking in its unwelcoming view. Slowly, I walked onto the beach, towards the trail. The sand was pretty good quality, which surprised me. It was soft and white. The shack, from what I could tell, was abandoned. I stopped to retie the bandana on my head, trying to smooth down the mess that had formed during the trip. I realized I didn't have a hair brush, and how sad that was.

Further down the path, the buildings came into few view. They were small and scattered throughout the area. Some of the buildings were just skeletons of homes, as if they were stopped being built. I stopped when the path split off in opposite directions. I looked around, deciding that going straight would lead me nowhere, seeing as I could see for a good while was an old wooden fence. Left seemed to lead to a forest or something, which didn't sound like the ideal place to find a job. I took the right path, heading towards two buildings. One was a small house and the other larger one looked to be a shop. I walked up to the shop, deciding that was probably my best bet. The sign read 'Mirabelle's Animal Shop'.

I sucked in a deep breath and opened the door, sounding off the noise of a ringing bell. I entered, letting the door shut behind me. I didn't see anyone at the counter that was off to the left, nor did I see anyone anywhere else. I stood for a moment, taking in the shop. It was actually pretty cozy and home-like.

I was about to give up and leave when I heard a voice call out something. A door on the right opened and out came a frantic women covered in flour. She was short and plump, with short blonde hair and deep dimples embedded in her round cheeks. Her blue eyes widened when she saw me and she hurried over to me.

"Oh! I am so sorry, my dear! I didn't realize…we hardly get any one coming…" She paused, then cleared her throat. She gave me a warm smile. "Excuse me for not being here right away. I was just baking some bread, and I didn't expect anyone at this hour. I'm Mirabelle. What can I do for you?"

"I-its alright." I told her. I reached behind me, grabbing the newspaper I stuck into one of the outside pockets of my bag. I held it out to her. "I was just looking for the person to talk to about this job opening as a farmer?"

Her eyes grew even larger as she gasped. She stared up at me. "Really?"

"Uh."

"Oh my! This is fantastic! Please, please, come in! I'll go get Taro right away!" She motioned for me to sit at the counter and opened the door. "I'll be right back, don't go anywhere."

And with that, I was alone again. I sat on one of the stools that were lined up along the counter and waited.

It wasn't long before the door swung open again, and in came Mirabelle followed by a little old man. He was bald, the only hair on him being his think white mustache and eyebrows, and he carried a wooden staff. He strode over to me, confident. I stood up.

"Hello there!" He greeted, his voice surprisingly deep and loud. He held out a thin hand to me, and I took it. "I'm Taro."

"I'm Chelsea." I pulled my hand back, grasping it with the other, suddenly nervous.

"I hear you're interested in becoming our new farmer?" He asked, grinning.

"Well, yes, but –," I started.

"Excellent!" He knocked the end of his staff on the floor. "Welcome aboard! I'll show you to your farm and –,"

"Wait!" I exclaimed. He stopped and stared at me, worried.

"What?"

"Don't you want to know more about me?" I asked, confused. "You can't just give me the job right away." I knew I shouldn't have questioned it, but it just seemed too crazy.

"Why, sure I can!" He told me. "You look like a fine young lady."

"But I don't know a thing about farming." I told him. "I came here on a whim…I…."

"Nonsense!" He wiggled a finger at me, motioning to follow. "I can teach you all you need to know."

Struggling to wrap my head around this, I followed him out the door. "How long have you been looking for a farmer?"

"Since the last one passed away, bless his heart."

I realized that was almost five years ago. No wonder they would just give the job to anyone.

"You can live in the farmhouse on your new farm." He told me as we walked towards the path that lead to the wooden fence. "It may be a little…messy, but nothing a little cleaning can't fix. I'm sure you'll love it."

"Right." I mumbled.

We came to an arch that connected with the fence, and then we were faced with an open field. I felt my heart drop when I saw the condition of the farm. I wasn't an expert, but I knew bad land when I saw it. The ground was dry and covered in weeds, rocks, and other debris. There was plenty of space, however. I could still see the outlines of the plots left by the old farmer. I sighed. Maybe I wasn't cut out for this.

Taro gave me a sympathetic look. "Please, don't let this scare you off. I tried to keep this place tidy, but over the years it got to be too much for this old man to handle."

I nodded. "So…how does the whole payment thing go?" I was worried, seeing as the island had almost no money.

"Ah, that." Taro cleared his throat. "Well, every day we ship whatever goods we have off and the next morning, we receive our payments for our buyers. So, you would have to ship whatever you grow and produce here to make money, of course."

Dread filled my heart. That meant I wouldn't be making any more for a good while. Getting this place back up and running would take longer than I could manage. Taro must have seen a look on my face, and frowned.

"I know it will be tough, but your new neighbors are here for you to help you out. Is there something wrong?"

Suddenly, I wanted to pour out all my troubles to him. I wanted him to understand why I couldn't do this, why I needed money now. But I couldn't. I'd probably get unwanted attention.

Instead, I shook my head. "It's just…how am I going to eat without money?"

"The island has a lot to offer, how do you think we've managed all this time?" He chuckled. "I'll give you the tools you need to get started. I'll even lend you my old fishing pool, so you can fish and do what you wish with what you catch, whether it be eating it or shipping it."

For the remaining of the day, Taro taught me the basics of being a farmer, and even helped me clear out a plot and plant a few turnip seeds. I wasn't sure if they would actually grow, though. He showed me around my new home, which was small and dusty, but nice. I was sure I could make it feel more like a home in due time. When he left me, he gave me a pat on the arm, thanking me. As I watched him go, I realized that now I have even more responsibility on my shoulders.

Now, not only do I have a massive debt to pay off, I also have an entire island to save.

I didn't think about that when I decided to take the job.

What have I gotten myself into?

**A/N: I decided to write another chapter for this, so you guys wouldn't be left with an uneventful prologue chapter. I hope this chapter is alright and you all like it. **

**Thank you for the reviews I've gotten so far! My hope is that this story ends up being better than my first (which was pretty terrible, looking back on it now) and that just as many people love it.**

**So as for updates, I plan on posting a new chapter every week. This is an exception. I know I hate it when a story I'm following doesn't update for weeks or months on end, so I will try my best not to leave you all hanging.**

**Please review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up to the feeling of something wet hitting my forehead. When I opened my eyes, I saw that the part of the ceiling above me was wet and sagging. Another drop of water fell, this time landing on my cheek. I sighed heavily, sitting up and wiping my face off. I could hear the rain pouring outside, and the crack of thunder in the distance.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." I mumbled, getting out of bed.

I inspected the ceiling again, concluding I could do nothing about it myself. I pushed my bed out of range of the dripping, replacing it with an old bucket. I sat at my small table, staring at the bucket, watching the droplets fall.

It's been almost a week since I came to this island, and every day since I've discovered new problems. The plumbing is terrible and hardly works. The kitchen appliances are not only grossly outdated, but most of them are broken; only the refrigerator and one section of the stove works. There is a constant draft, meaning the heat and the cold and easily find its way in. And now the roof leaks. The farm itself was a whole other set of problems.

I really wanted to give up.

I've only managed to make enough money to eat cheap every day, and I could only accomplish that by scavenging the forest and fishing for half the day. The turnip seeds Taro helped me plant never grew. I didn't have much hope that anything would grow on this stupid farm. At this rate, I would never make the money I needed to pay off my parent's debt.

And I've already received my first notice in the mail.

I slammed my fist down on the table, fighting back tears. Gritting my teeth, I got up and got ready for the long day ahead.

…

Ignoring the rain, I made my way to Taro's house. I figured I should tell him about the condition of my house and that the seeds never sprouted. His granddaughter, Natalie, answered the door.

"Hey." She said shortly, slumping against the door frame. She pushed her short pink hair back. "What's up?"

"Is Taro here?" I asked, before realizing I should have greeted her. Too late now.

"Grandpa!" She called, going back into the house. "That farmer is here!"

I frowned at the fact she didn't seem to know my name, or care to use it. I sighed, shaking off the petty feelings and waited for Taro. When he finally appeared in the door way, he looked shocked.

"Why are you standing in the rain? Didn't Natalie invite you in?" He asked. I shook my head and he sighed, annoyed. "Come in, come in."

After I stepped inside and shut the door behind me, Taro cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter.

"It's supposed to rain again tomorrow." He informed me. "What did you need to see about?"

"Well," I began, a little unsure how to bring up my dissatisfaction with the farm. "My house has a lot of…issues. And the turnips never grew. I did everything you told me to do."

He pondered this for a moment, and then asked about my house. After I told him everything that was wrong with it, he sighed.

"I knew I should have made more effort to maintain it." He said mostly to himself. "Well, I can see if I can call in a carpenter or something to help fix it up."

I held up my hands. "I don't have money for that, Taro."

"No, no." He tapped his staff gently against my leg. "I'll be paying for the basic repairs to the house. That shouldn't fall on you; you've only just moved in. None of that is your doing, its mine. Any other add-ons to it, however, will be coming out of your pocket."

I wanted to refuse, but the thought of taking cold showers and waking up in a wet bed stopped me. He may have had a point about it being on him, but I couldn't help but feel guilty. After thanking him, I left.

The rain had let up a little, and for that I was glad. I looked at the little shop that had set up shortly after I arrived. The owner's name was Chen, a Chinese (I think) man ran the shop with the help if his young son named Charlie. I've been there a few times to buy a few food items when I finally realized I couldn't not eat. I knew they had seeds there; I saw them last time I was there.

I sighed. I guess it was time to try again with the whole farming thing. Hopefully this rain had helped the soil some.

I pulled out my little coin purse, beginning to count what I had left in the palm of my hand. Luckily, I had enough to spare for a few packs of seeds. As I began to put the money back into the purse, something struck my shoulder, causing me to drop it all onto the muddy ground. Startled, I looked up to see a man stumble back and look up at me, surprised.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Watch where you're going!"

The man narrowed his strangely colored eyes at me, glaring. "You're in my way."

We stared at each other for a long moment, and in that moment I got a good look at him. The mushy side of me realized how good looking he was. He has eyes the color of amethyst, which was a shock against his silvery hair. It was all partially hidden, though, under a black cowboy hat. In fact, his whole get-up was cowboy themed. And all black. What was his deal?

I gave him a glare, then kneeled down to gather what I had dropped. To my dismay, the coins were scattered around me, some of them almost buried under the mud. I glanced up at him, expecting him to help me. Instead, he grunted and walked past me.

"Excuse me?" I said, annoyed. "Aren't you going to say anything? Maybe a 'sorry'?"

He ignored me and kept walking. I watched him enter the animal shop, and I could hear the slam of the door behind him.

I stared after him, utterly shocked at what just happened. How could he be so rude?

I bit my lip and focused on getting my money. The rain, of course, picked up, making it hard to find all the coins before they were lost under the mud. I desperately tried to find all of them, but in the end, I had lost a quarter of my money. Meaning I didn't have enough for something to eat today _and_ the seeds.

I felt my lip quiver. I glanced around, seeing that no one was around, and slumped into the mud, defeated. I looked at the heap of dirty coins in my hand and carefully poured them into the ruined purse. I could feel the hot tears on my cheeks, but luckily the rain washed them away.

After checking once more for any missed coins, I struggled to stand. I was covered in mud and there was no way I could walk into any shop now. I frowned, not looking forward to the ice cold shower I would have to take and the long process of washing the mud out of my clothes. I was about to turn to walk back to my farm when I heard someone call my name.

I looked towards the voice, and saw it was Julia, Mirabelle's daughter. We haven't really spoken since I've been here. Her appearance kind of intimidated me. She was beautiful, with shiny, honey-blonde hair that was always in a perfect pony-tail, and her revealing clothes showed off her body without giving away too much.

"Chelsea!" She called again, leaning out of the doorway of the animal shop a little more. "Are you okay? Come here!"

I gave her a little wave. "It's okay, I'm fine."

"Come in, I'll help you clean up. You shouldn't have to walk back home in this rain. You'll catch a cold." She reached out her hand to me, beckoning me to come.

I remembered that the jerk from earlier had went in that shop, and shook my head. "N-no, I'll be alright. I can take care of it."

She huffed, crossing her arms. Then, suddenly, she was rushing towards me and grabbing my hand. "You're coming in whether you like it or not. My mother would kill me if she knew I let you go like this."

I found myself letting her drag me inside. Whether it was from guilt from making her go out in the rain or the fact I really wanted to be clean, I didn't know.

**A/N: Update time! I hope you guys like it. **

**Please review :) **


	4. Chapter 4

Julia basically stripped me of my clothes and forced me into the bathroom as soon as I walked into the shop. Through the bathroom door, she informed me she was washing my clothes for me. I stood in the middle of the room, clutching a towel around me, dumbfounded. I couldn't understand why Julia even bother to try to help me out, especially since we had never spoken before. I looked around the room, noting the presence of girly body washes and bath supplies. Make-up littered the counter, along with multiple hair brushes and hair ties.

I caught sight of myself in the mirror and frowned. My brown hair was wet and stringy, and my face had smudges of mud. I leaned in, noticing my blue eyes were red and puffy. Great.

I showered, enjoying the steamy hot water. Julia's shampoo and body wash had strong, but pleasant, fragrances; something I wasn't used to. When I was finished, I realized I couldn't leave the bathroom until my clothes were finished. I sat down on the seat of the toilet and sighed.

After five minutes, I grew bored. I stood up and went to the mirror. I made sure my towel was firmly tucked, and reached for the brush that looked the least used. I slowly brushed my hair, wondering if I should cut it. I glanced down at the make-up, feeling curious. I was about to pick up the mascara before I realized that wasn't the best idea.

I settled for sitting down again.

After what seemed like forever, a knock sounded on the door.

"Chelsea?" Julia called. "You're clothes are clean. Can I come in?"

I quickly stood up, making sure the towel was covering everything. I was about to answer when Julia came in anyway. She handed my folded clothes out to me, smiling. I took them, thanking her.

"When you're finished, I made us some lunch." She looked into the mirror and fixed her hair a little. "I'm not the best cook, so it's just sandwiches. I hope that's okay."

I shook my head. "No, that's fine."

"Great!" She beamed. "I'll see you in a few."

"Uh, Julia." She stopped and looked at me. "Just…thanks. You didn't have to do any of this."

She waved her hand at me. "Nonsense. It's fine."

I quickly dressed and tied my bandana on my head. I folded up the towel and set it on the counter, unsure what else to do with it. As I made my way into the shop area, I remembered that man was probably still here somewhere. Hopefully he had left by now, and I'd never see him again.

But of course, as soon as I rounded the corner, I came face to face with him. Startled, I backed up and looked up at him. He glared down at me, his lip curling into a snarl. I frowned.

"Are you here to say sorry?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Tch." He huffed, making to move past me.

"Vaughn!" Julia yelled. "You say sorry to her right now. Gosh, you are so rude."

To my surprise, the man stopped. He pulled his hat down over his eyes, sighing. "Yeah, whatever. Sorry."

With that, he shoved past me and was gone. I looked a Julia, raising my eyebrow.

"Sorry about Vaughn." She patted the stool next to her. I went over to it. "He can be really rude, but he isn't actually that bad. He doesn't care too much for people."

"I can tell." I mumbled.

She laughed. "He'll come around, just give him some time."

"I don't think I care to know him anyway."

She frowned a little. "Aw, come on. Vaughn is actually a sweetheart once you get to know him."

I didn't believe it. "Right. Who is he anyway?"

"He's the new animal dealer. Well, I wouldn't say new, he's been coming here for years, but now he has a reason the actually bring animals. You."

"Why was he coming before then? Family?"

"Kind of." She tapped her cheek. "We are like family. My mother makes him visit every week. He only stays for two days though."

"Oh."

"Anyway, I hope you like turkey." She pushed a plate with a sad looking turkey sandwich on it towards me.

"Compared to what I've been eating, it's perfect." I picked it up and bit into it.

She looked concerned. "Are you doing okay on the farm? Do you need help?

Cursing myself, I shook my head. "N-no, it's fine."

"If you ever need anything, feel free to come here. My mother loves everyone. Especially people she hasn't gotten to know yet." She chuckled.

I looked around, noticing she wasn't here. Julia seemed to understand what I was thinking.

"She's probably out with Felicia, doing whatever moms do with each other." She shrugged.

We talked for a while, and I actually enjoyed myself. Julia was easy to talk to and get along with, which I wouldn't have expected by looking at her. Maybe I shouldn't judge people so harshly.

When it came time for me to leave, she took my hand and smiled at me. "You should come back tomorrow for lunch. Oh! Maybe every day you can eat lunch here with me."

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe…"

"Please say you will. It get boring here, I'd love to have someone to eat with. And you're the only other person my age on this island I actually like."

I wondered what that meant about Natalie, but didn't mention it. "Well, I guess I could."

"Yay!" She squealed, grinning. "Awesome, I'll see you tomorrow then!"

We said our goodbyes and I left. I stopped by Chen's shop before heading home and bought seeds. I could wait until tomorrow to buy food. I spent the remaining of the day gathering things to sell and fishing. I even planted the turnip seeds, making sure to use the best soil I could find.

I felt oddly content, even though my day had started off so badly.

…

The next morning, there was a knock at my door. When I answered it, I was shocked to see Vaughn on the other side. I stared at him, unsure of what to say.

"Uh," He cleared his throat. "I was just going to leave it on your door step, but it's raining…"

It was then I noticed a small box in his hands with holes in it. He held it out to me and I slowly took it. I lifted the lid to see a small yellow chick. It peeped at me, ruffling its little wings. I looked back up at Vaughn, shocked.

He stood up a little straighter. "My company wanted me to give you a chick to start off your farm. It's just to get you to buy from us, so don't go thinking it's from me or anything."

"I…" I paused, frowning. "I don't know the first thing about taking care of this."

He glared at me, "You're kidding me."

"This whole farm deal is new to me…I never –" I was cut off by him taking the box back from me.

"What a waste. Taro shouldn't have given you the responsibility of this farm." He was about to leave when I grabbed his arm.

"Wait!" I commanded. "Listen, I may not know much about farming, but that does not mean I can't learn."

"You haven't grown a single thing since you've been here." He snarled.

"It's not easy!" I yelled. "I'd like to see you try and do what I'm doing. I don't need to stand here as you insult me." I reached out for the box, but he moved it out of my reach.

"If you think I'm letting you take this animal when you have no knowledge of actually taking care of it, you're insane."

"Then teach me." I pointed at him. "Isn't it _your_ job to sell me your animals? Because if you never teach me I'll never buy from you."

He stood there, visibly getting more angry and frustrated. I could tell he was torn between his hatred towards me and doing what he had to do for his job. After a few tense moments, he finally gave me the box.

"Fine." He growled. "But if you kill this chick, you are never buying from me again. I'm not letting an irresponsible, stupid farmer kill innocent animals to prove a point."

I ignored what he said. "The chicken coop I have is old. I don't know if it will be okay. Can you check it out?"

He looked at me, astonished. "Seriously? You cannot be serious."

"I can't buy from you if my coop isn't adequate."

He grunted, mumbling something about blackmail under his breath, and stalked off towards the old chicken coop. I followed him, shutting the door behind me. When we got there, he looked around for a few minutes.

"It has a few leaks and definitely needs to be fixed up." He sighed. "But it should be okay until it starts to get cold."

I worried I wouldn't make enough money to be able to do that, but I didn't say anything.

"Now, if you're done bothering me, I have to get back to work." He glared at me. "I'd suggest you get to work too. You actually have to grow things for this to be a farm, you know. Fishing doesn't cut it."

"Don't tell me how to do anything." I leered. "I can do this myself."

"Good for you." He grunted, pushing past me. He was about to leave when he paused. "Oh yeah, here."

He pulled a small bag out of his jacket and tossed it to me. It landed on the ground at my feet.

"It's feed for the chick. Don't forget to actually feed her."

When he was gone, I sighed.

"I can't believe how rude he is." I said as I picked up the chick from the box. I set it on the ground, watching it wander around its new home. I crouched down, petting it with a finger. "I think I am in way over my head."

Maybe Vaughn was right. I didn't deserve this job. But that didn't mean I couldn't get better.

I would show him he was wrong.

**A/N: Hey everyone, sorry it took a little longer than a week to update. But I hope this is okay for now.**

**I decided to make it so Chelsea had a chicken coop and barn already. It just seemed right, since the old farmer would have had them anyway. Instead of building them, she is just going to have to fix them up. **

**I'm probably going to be changing a few things from the game, but it will be mostly the same. I just have to make it fit the story, ya know?**

**Anyway, please Review! I love reviews. They motivate me.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Pssst, StalkerSinceDay1, you should make an account! c:**

**Haha I hope you like this chapter guys. I'm sorry it's so short. I've been having trouble finding inspiration lately.**

"Hey, Chelsea, what brought you to this island anyway?" Julia titled her head, putting her half eaten sandwich down. I bit my lip, figuring this question would have been brought up sooner or later. I decided Julia deserved the truth. Well, most of it. She's been a good friend to me lately.

"Well, my parents died in an accident." I started. Julia gasped, suddenly looking sick. "And I just decided I needed a new start, away from my hometown. That's…that's it."

"Oh, Chels, I'm so sorry that happened to you."

"Could not tell anyone?" I asked. I didn't need people pitying me and asking more questions.

She nodded. "Of course. Well, I'm glad you ended up here."

"Me too." I thought about the past week and all the support Julia has given me. She even gave me a few lessons on taking care of my new chick, who I named Spark. She wasn't an expert, but she knew the basics. She also made me celebrate my first harvest. A few days ago I finally managed to grow some turnips. They weren't in the best shape, but they were decent enough to sell. Julia decided it was a reason to have a small get-together and invited a few people, including the new fisher man who recently moved into that old shack on the beach.

I smirked at the thought of the fisherman, Denny. He showed up to Julia's dripping wet and smelling of fish, grinning. He claimed a huge fish pulled him in while he was fishing, but he lost it. We teased him over it the whole time. We became fast friends.

I heard a door shut behind me and I turned to see Vaughn. He was heading towards the exit.

"Hey, Vaughn!" I called, standing. He stopped and looked at me, annoyed. "You haven't been by my chicken coop yet today."

"So?" He sighed.

"You said you'd teach me how to –,"

"No, _you_ manipulated me into it. I don't have to do anything."

"But Spark is -,"

I was cut off by the door slamming shut as he left. I stood there, feeling a strange pressure in my chest. I couldn't tell if I was hurt or angry.

"Forget Vaughn. What's up with Spark?" Julia asked.

I sat back down, frowning. "She's been less energetic the last few days. It's worrying me."

Julia tapped her chin. "Yeah…I was hoping I could help you but I have no clue. Maybe she's tiring herself out while you're not around?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I check on her a few times a day."

"Vaughn should help you. I'll go find him."

"No, it's fine." I stood up. "I'll try to talk to him again. But first, I'm going to go check on her again."

"See you later, Chelsea." Julia smiled.

I nodded, returning her smile. Once I left, I looked around for Vaughn, but I didn't see him anywhere. Sighing, I made my way to the chicken coop. Approaching it, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. Panicking, I rushing inside, thinking I had left it open.

Relief and confusion filled me when I saw Vaughn standing there, holding Spark in his hands. He looked up at me, startled.

"What are you doing here?" I shut the door behind me.

"I…I was just making sure you haven't killed this poor thing yet." He mumbled, turning away from me "I don't trust you."

I went over to him. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine." He put her down and she wandered away. "You're lucky.

"Oh." I sighed, relieved. Maybe it was my imagination.

He started walking towards the door, but I reached out and grabbed his arm. He stopped, but she shook my hand free of him.

"Hey, wait. I wanted to say sorry for last week."

He only grunted in reply.

"Really." I told him. "I was hoping we could start over. I'll forget when you ran into me and made me lose my money and you'll forget my rude behavior."

He huffed. "You were standing in the middle of the path, zoning out. It isn't my fault."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're supposed to look where you're going when you walk."

"Not if other people aren't too stupid to get out of the way."

I frowned. "Why can't you just be nice? I'm trying to apologize. I was hoping we could be friends."

"I don't have or need friends." He informed me. "Even if I did, I wouldn't want some ditzy farmer to be one of them."

For some reason that stung. I clenched my jaw. "You know, I was hoping that people here would be nicer than in the city, but I was wrong. Apparently there are assholes everywhere."

"That's life." He told me, tuning away and out the door.

I stood there for a moment, feeling my eyes grow wet. I blinked them away, realizing it was stupid to cry. I didn't need his approval or anything else from him. I opened the door and watched him leave my farm, disappearing as he went downhill. I made sure the door was closed and made my way into town, deciding to pay a visit to Denny.


	6. Chapter 6

I found Denny climbing out of a small boat by the dock. I waved to him and approached him.

"Chelsea!" He grinned. "How ya doing?"

"I'm okay." I looked at the basket of fish he had in the boat. "Whoa, I wish I could catch that many. I'm lucky if I catch five."

"Five?" He asked, shocked. "That's so sad."

I laughed. "Yeah, I know."

"I could teach you some basics." He offered. "I'm willing to bet you're doing something wrong. Fishing isn't _that_ difficult."

"Says the master of fishing."

"Oh stop it, you're flattering me." He waved his face as if he were flushing.

"Give me that rod. I'll show you I can do it right and I'm actually just unlucky."

He handed it over and I started to sit on the edge on the dock, when he started making alarm noises. "ER ER ERR, there's you're first problem."

"What, am I sitting wrong?" I sarcastically repositioned myself.

He laughed. "No. You aren't going to catch much right here at the dock. Fish are smarter than you think. You'll only catch the dumb, small fish here. Unworthy fish."

"I don't have a boat. Unworthy fish are good enough for me."

"No they aren't!" He exclaimed, grabbing my arm and easily pulling me to my feet. "All aboard S.S. Denny. I'll show you the world."

"Of fish." I said flatly.

"Come on! It'll be fun."

"Fine, but if this thing tips over I'll never forgive you. It hardly looks like it can even hold you."

Once I was settled in the small boat, Denny began to row away from the beach. I looked back to see Vaughn walking onto the beach. I couldn't tell if he noticed us or not, but his figure turned away and disappeared after a moment. I mentally gave him a rude gesture. I wasn't over how rude he was.

"What's wrong with your face?" Denny suddenly asked.

I looked at him, surprised. "W-what?"

"Your face was all scrunched up in a glare. Or was that constipation?"

I blushed. "Denny! No! I was just…thinking about something."

He laughed. "Something about Vaughn?"

"You know Vaughn?"

"Uh, I've been here a few days. I'm not a shut in like you. I've met him a few times."

"I bet that was pleasant."

He looked confused. "He doesn't seem too bad. A little standoffish. We had a nice conversation about trade."

I looked at him, shocked. "Seriously? He talked to you? Willingly?"

"I'm assuming you two aren't best buds."

"Far from it." I sighed. "He hates me."

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

"No, he does." I nodded. "If he doesn't then he doesn't make that clear."

He thought for a moment. "Vaughn seems like the kind of guy that doesn't make his feelings clear. Maybe you've just got to give him time to come around. Who knows, you guys could end up friends. Or more."

"Ugh, no. He told me himself he doesn't want friends, especially not me."

Denny stopped the boat and pulled the oars in. "Well, I guess time will tell. I'd suggest not writing him off as a bad person until you actually know him."

I was speechless. He was right. I was being immature.

"Anyway, let's get to fishing."

"R-right." I grabbed the fishing rod and baited it.

"Okay, so you can use bait correctly. Not as well as I can but…"

I laughed and pushed his arm. "You're about to be amazing at my fishing skills. Just watch."

I casted the hook and it went a good distance. I looked to Denny with a smug look, only to find him shaking his head and laughing.

"What?"

"This is going to be a long process." He sighed.

"What?" I asked again intently.

"You're holding the rod wrong."

A few hours and a fresh sunburn later, I was back on the beach. Denny handed me my basket filled with a measly three fish.

"You were right, you sure did show me."

I sarcastically bowed. "I do not compare to the master."

He laughed for a long moment. "You'll get the hang of it. I'm sure the water by your farm has a few worthy fish hanging around."

I handed the basket back to him. "This is too embarrassing. You keep it."

We said our goodbyes and I made my way home, feeling a lot better. The sun was beginning to set, coating the land in a red-orange hue. I took in a deep breath, enjoying it for a moment.

Until I slammed into something.

Jarred, I stumbled back but a hand caught me from falling. I looked at the gloved hand, and followed the arm up to see Vaughn, glaring.

"Seriously?" I asked. "Again?"

He let go of my arm. "You were just standing in the middle of the road again."

"And I can see you weren't looking up again."

We stood there for a long awkward moment.

"I'm sorry." We both said at the same time.

My eyes widened. Vaughn's eyes grew huge and he flushed, reaching up to pull his hat over his face. I couldn't help but think that was adorable and I had to urge to do something stupid like hug him or something.

"You are?" I finally asked. I was surprised he said sorry without someone making him. I glanced around and saw no one else.

He narrowed his eyes. "No one made me say it."

My eyes snapped to him. Embarrassed, I started scratching my neck; a nervous habit of mine.

He sighed, dropping his mean look for a moment. "I was rude earlier. More than usual. I should have just dropped it and let you apologize or whatever."

I was silent. I suddenly felt my confidence disappear, leaving me feeling shy.

"I…I started all this anyway. I should…have been watching where I was going a few weeks ago. Ever since, you just get on my nerves. More than other people do."

"Yeah, well same here." I forced myself to drop my hand from my neck. "You're infuriating."

His expression grew hard again. "Well, I shouldn't have caused someone a loss in their finances, so I want to make that right. How much did you lose?"

I frowned, unsure what to say. I wasn't used to him being polite in any way, even if it was just common courtesy. I also didn't want his money. It didn't feel right to me.

"Well?" He asked, growing impatient.

"I don't want to just take your money…"

"Help me out here." He grumbled. "I'm _trying_ to be _nice_."

His tone of voice changed my mind pretty quick. "Uhh, why don't you just buy my dinner instead, since that's what you made me miss anyway."

"You didn't eat?" He asked sternly.

Regretting saying anything, I nodded. "Um, well, that money was for dinner and I…"

"Are you doing that badly on the farm?"

"N-no."

"You didn't save any up before you moved here? You did know it would be a slow start as a farmer didn't you? Wow, you are irresponsible."

"No, I did not know that, but that doesn't make it okay for you to stand here and tell me how bad I am at my job. You do not know me or what I'm going through, so don't jump to conclusions about _my_ life." I grew angrier with each word, but I also regretted each word. I didn't want to shove him away when he was actually being semi nice, but I couldn't help myself. I began to walk away to avoid his response. I figured he didn't want me to stick around anyway.

"Hey, wait." He sighed. "Okay, sorry. Damn, I hate apologizing. It's so stupid. Fine. I'll buy you dinner. But don't go acting like it's a freaking date or something."

I felt a smile tug at my lips, but I held it back. "You will?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You look too skinny anyway. You should eat some real food."

I looked down at myself and frowned. "Too skinny?"

His face flushed. "Shut up. Do ya want that dinner tonight or tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." I said, knowing I'd need to mentally prepare.

"Fine then." He turned away from me. "Oh, and don't think we're gonna chit chat while you eat. I'm buying you your food and leaving."

"Oh." I said, cursing myself for sounding disappointed.

He hesitated. "Who knows, I might be hungry. But I'm serious. No talking."

With that, he walked away. I watched him for a second, seeing that he was heading towards the animal shop. I stood there for a while, thinking.

Denny was right, it seems.

Vaughn wasn't such a bad guy after all. He might not be the most likable person, but I held hope we could be friends. Or, at least something close to that. I wasn't sure if Vaughn would ever let me be his actual friend, but it beat the way we acted towards each other now. I was looking forward being able to tolerate him. Smiling, I headed home.

**A/N: Uhh, I don't like this chapter. But I needed to update this to keep my promise. I hope it's good enough and that it doesn't have too many mistakes. It's hard for me to catch grammatical errors when I read it over because I read it how I know it should be xD**

**Anyway, please stay tuned. **

**And please review?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I am soooo sorry this took so long. I can't even tell you how many days this one chapter took me. I kept getting stuck, and while I'm still not at all happy with it, I don't know how to make it better. This chapter went much smoother in my head, but trying to write it proved to be a challenge. **

**Well, I'm sorry it's not a well written chapter and that it took longer than I said it would take. I hope you guys like it anyway. Please ignore any mistakes; I've been so busy lately. **

I nervously paced around my small kitchen. It was getting closer to dinner time, and I realized we never set a time or place. Did he want me to meet him at the diner? At the animal shop? Was he going to come here? I groaned, slouching against the counter. I wondered if I should just go find him and be done with it. But I also didn't want to seem annoying. Perhaps he forgot, or never even planned on doing it in the first place.

I frowned. That thought didn't settle well with me. I looked at the clock. Almost six.

I grabbed my bag and headed towards the door. I was tired of waiting. I swung the door open only to find Vaughn standing there, his hand raised into a fist. His eyes widened and he stepped back, lowering his arm.

"Oh, Vaughn. There you are. I was just about to come find you."

"Yeah, well, you forgot to pick a time or anything." He scoffed.

I shrugged, feeling better now. "Oh well. Now that you're here, shall we?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Don't."

I chuckled and locked the door to my house, which was recently repaired along with everything else that needed to be fixed up. Vaughn and I slowly made our way to the dinner. He dragged a few feet behind me, and every time I would slow down to meet him he would fall behind me again. I glanced at him, curious. He kept his head down (shocker) and had his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. He refused to look at me, even when I made it clear I was staring at him. I sighed, giving up. He wasn't going to speak to me.

The diner was in sight now and my stomach seemed to know. The growl it emitted was so loud Vaughn actually looked up at me, raising an eyebrow. I blushed and turned away, quickening my pace. We made it to the door of the diner and went inside. I smiled, knowing for the first time since being on this island I was actually going to eat something from here. I've been to the diner before, but I was never able to afford to buy anything.

Vaughn moved past me and to the counter. He began talking to the man behind it, then turned around and looked at me.

"Well? Are ya gonna order or what?"

I went over to him. "I don't know what they have here. Is there a menu?"

The man behind the counter handed me a sheet of paper. I scanned it for anything I would like, but soon realized I would like anything on it. I must have been taking too long because Vaughn cleared his throat.

"Hurry up, I don't have all night." He grumbled.

"Tempura noodles will be fine, thank you." I told the man, handing him the paper. He nodded and turned away.

I noticed Vaughn had sat down at a booth, so I followed his lead and sat across from him. We sat in silence while waiting for our food. I tried not to look at him because I knew he wouldn't want me staring, so I settled on focusing on my hands on the table. After a few minutes, I glanced up at him, and to my surprise, met his eyes. He quickly averted them, pulling down his hat. I wondered what he was looking at, suddenly self-conscious. Before I could think about it more, our food arrived.

The server set down a steaming hot bowl in front of me and I forgot all about Vaughn. The food looked amazing. I knew it was too hot to eat it yet, however. I looked at what Vaughn ordered.

"Porridge?" I exclaimed. "What are you, eighty?"

He shrugged. "I like it."

I laughed. "Okay, you are weirder than I thought."

He ignored me and began to eat his meal. I resisted the urge to blow on my food to cool it down. I knew that would just make me look ridiculous. A sudden memory of my mother popped into my head. When I was younger, she would always hold my cheeks and tell me to blow on my food to cool it down, but every time I would blow air out she'd pinch my cheeks together, causing me to make a funny noise. It would never fail to make me laugh, even when I was the saddest.

The memory made me sad this time, and my chest tightened up.

"Chelsea?"

I snapped out of it, looking up at Vaughn. "H-huh?"

He lowered his eyes. "You looked strange just now."

I sighed. "Sorry. I just thought about my mom for a second."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized what I said. I looked at him, hoping he wouldn't question me about her. But he didn't even look up. He just continued to eat, as if I hadn't said anything. Time passed without any other words being exchanged, and my food was plenty cool enough to eat. But for some reason, I couldn't eat it.

For some reason, I was bothered that he didn't ask me about my parents. I knew better than to expect him of all people to care, but I realized that I had been bottling up my feelings about what happened. I never properly grieved.

"C-Chelsea? Are you crying?"

I touched my cheek, feeling the wetness that was there. "O-oh. I didn't realize."

I grabbed the spoon and began eating, trying to forget everything. Now was not the time to cry and look stupid. Especially in front of Vaughn. I felt his eyes on me and I quickly ate. I wanted this to be over with as soon as possible all of a sudden. I wanted to go.

I was nearing the end of the bowl when Vaughn said my name again. I looked at him.

"Were you crying because of your mom?" He asked quietly.

I remained silent, confused as to why he was asking. After a moment, I nodded.

"What…What happened?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You actually care?"

He grunted. "No. It just seems like you want to talk about it."

"I just got a little sad for a moment." I tried to give him a smile. "It's fine."

He just looked at me.

"She died. Her and my father were killed." I blurted out.

He leaned on the table. "How?"

I paused, pushing my bowl away. After a moment, the server came over and took our dirty dishes and informed us to pay at the counter. Vaughn made no move to get up. We stared at each other for a long moment.

I felt everything I had been keeping inside rise up into my mind, and I want nothing more than to just talk about it. It went against everything I promised myself, but before I knew it, I was telling Vaughn everything. I told him how my parents died, and how everyone in the other car made it out alive and without a heavy sentence. I told him how unfair I thought it was that my parents had to die because of someone else's choices. I told him about the debt I was left with and how I couldn't handle it.

After a good five minutes of me just complaining, I finally took a deep breath and stopped. I looked up at Vaughn to see he looked paler than before.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry. I hope I didn't freak you out. It's just – "

"Did you live in the city before you moved here?" He asked out of the blue.

I scratched my neck. "Uh, well yeah. I live right outside of Mineral Town."

"And you parents died in an accident…there?"

I wondered why he was asking these weird questions. "No, it happened in Mineral Town about a month ago. By the super market. Why…? Did you see it?"

Vaughn fell silent. He didn't look at me.

"Vaughn?"

He suddenly stood up and went over to the counter. Before I could react, he was heading towards the door.

I got up and went after him. "Wait, Vaughn…"

He turned to face me, but his eyes remained on the floor. "Look, sorry about your problems, but they aren't my problems. I didn't want to know your life story. Just leave me alone for now on, alright? Forget we even met."

My mouth hung open as I watched him leave, the door slamming behind him. I couldn't process what just happened. I stood there for a while, wondering what went wrong.

He asked me about it, didn't he? He wanted to know what happened. Why is he being a jerk about me telling him?

I frowned. Maybe I did tell him too much. It was pretty personal and I hardly knew him. I probably scared him away. He only asked what happened, simply put. He didn't ask about anything else. I didn't need to tell him all my problems.

Tears pricked at my eyes. I knew this would happened. I knew I shouldn't have told anyone because this would happen. I hated myself for letting my emotions get the better of me.

I opened the door and walking out into the darkness. The sun had set already, and I couldn't see Vaughn walking in the distance. I started walking home and after what seemed like an eternity, I was finally there.

When I got inside, I immediately climbed into bed. I knew it was too early to sleep and I still had things to do, but I didn't care. I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

I didn't see Vaughn for the next two weeks. I tried to catch him; I kept an eye out for him, but I never once saw him. I almost began to believe he hadn't come to the island at all, but Julia informed me otherwise.

I guess he was just really talented at avoiding someone.

Once the third week began rolling in, along with the cold winds of autumn, I finally gave up. I still couldn't shake him from my mind, but I no longer looked for him.

For some reason, I felt like I had lost something. Even though we never had anything, I still felt the loss weighing on my heart. It was almost like we could have been friends, and a part of me wanted to be more than friends. I never felt that way before about anyone, but Vaughn interested me, despite how infuriating he is.

I wasn't sure how much more loss I could take.

I focused on what I was doing, which was kneeling down in the dirt, planting seeds. Contrary to how I have been feeling, my farm has been doing well. I was finally getting the hang of being a farmer, and I was making more money. I had saved almost a thousand so far, but I knew that was barely anything compared to how much more I needed. The letters haven't stopped, however. Even after I sent in a small payment. My table was covered in them, reminding me every time I walked into my house. I wanted to throw them away, but I wasn't sure if I would need them later or not.

I sighed, wiping the sweat off my brow. I struggled to my feet and examined the area I had just finished, feeling satisfied with all the little mounds of dirt that surrounded me. I bent down again to begin packing up my supplies, feeling a burst of chilly air blow past me. A shadow moved over me, and I looked up, expecting to see a cloud but instead found a person.

"Oh, hey Julia." I rose to my feet, brushing off my pants.

"Hey." She nodded. "Looks like your farm is doing well."

"Yeah, I've been getting better." I smiled. "Anyway, what's up? It's strange to see you out here."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I know. My mom sent me to pick something up for her. She said you have a few carrots for her?"

"Oh, right." I waved for her to follow me to my house. "She wanted them to make stew, right?"

"Yeah, and you're invited to that dinner."

"Really?"

"She is using your crops after all."

When we made it to my door, I invited her in while I went to get the carrots. I opened my refrigerator and searched for the bag I had prepared the day before. After finding them, I started to wash them in the sink.

"Feel free to sit, Julia. Make yourself at home." I said over my shoulder.

After a moment, I heard her gasp.

"Chelsea!"

I dropped the carrots in the sink and spun around, thinking something was wrong. "What?"

"What is up with this?" She held up a piece of paper.

My heart rose into my throat as I realized she was holding my debt papers. I rushed over to her and snatched it from her hand. "Nothing!"

"These don't look like nothing." She reached for another letter, but I pushed the remaining letters away from her.

"It's nothing." I said firmly. "You shouldn't be going through other peoples things."

She stared at me, mouth hanging open slightly. Then her mouth formed a sad frown. Her wide eyes looked hurt. I immediately regretted everything.

"I'll just get out of your way then." She said quietly. She went to the door. "Just drop off the carrots to my mom later."

"Julia…wait."

But I was too late. The door closed behind her, softly clicking. I stood there, looking at the door.

The piece of paper slipped from my fingers and glided to the floor. Somewhere in my mind, I heard running water from the sink, but I didn't make an effort to turn it off.

I couldn't believe how stupid I was.

I just pushed away yet another person because of how I am. I'm either too open or too cold. I couldn't find the right balance of both. I didn't understand how friends worked.

At some point, I turned off the water and sat down at the table, staring at the papers that controlled my life.

I couldn't do this.

I couldn't pay off this much money in the amount of time I was supposed to. The debt would just continue to increase until it was all paid. The glimpse in to my own future looked bleak and pointless.

I'd be paying this the rest of my life.

I leaned my head on the table and cried.

**A/N: I'm sorry it's so short and that it's late. Ahh, life. Anyway, I hope you guys stay tuned, I promise it won't be sad forever, haha. I know how I want this to end, it is just a matter of getting there. I keep getting stuck. **

**Please Review! Maybe post some of your ideas to help me get motivated.**


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